Crews
from Wichita Falls and Sheppard Air Force Base were called out to
what they assumed was just another routine dumpster fire.

Capt.
Tim Pierson, with the Wichita Falls Fire Department's Safety &
Training Division
says, "they weren't privy to any of this information other than we
were going to have an exercise."

In
this scenario they were told it was a large event with more than
20,000 people attending, and when they began to put the fire out a
mock bomb went off, followed by another.

Emergency
crews were suddenly involved in the worst case scenario.

The
mock bomb was to be handled as a dirty bomb, one that includes
radioactive material. When fire fighters found that out, they had to
change tactics quickly.

Capt.
Pierson says, "This is not like a structure fire where we go
rushing in, when something like this happens we're going to step back
and figure out what's going on."

As
crews got dressed to handle the radioactive situation, the victims of
the blast waited to be treated. The scene was gruesome and
disturbing, much like the images we saw from the Boston Marathon
Bombing. Organizers say preparing for an explosion at a large event
is imperative, now more than ever.

Jeremy
Kirk, an Emergency Management Specialist at Sheppard Air Force Base
says, "Hotter 'n Hell is the largest sanctioned bike ride in the country,
and this will definitely help in our planning for a large gathering
of people."

The
exercise was also designed to help city and Sheppard responders work
together in disaster situations. As the scenario played out, crews
decontaminated victims and prepped them to be sent to hospitals.
Organizers say the crews proved they can handle such a disaster here.